Students from the Faculty of Agriculture, Faculty of Law, and Faculty of Transport at the University of Belgrade commemorated the one-year anniversary of their campus blockades today with protest marches, public statements, and moments of silence, calling attention to ongoing safety concerns and demanding accountability from authorities.
The demonstrations come amid unresolved cases of student injuries. During the initial general strike on January 24, 2024, student Kristina was intentionally run over on Juraja Gagarina Street in New Belgrade, sustaining head injuries. While initial charges against the driver, Milica Stojanović, included attempted murder, President Aleksandar Vučić subsequently granted her a pardon, prompting outrage among students and civil society groups.
Kristina read a statement to the gathered crowd, emphasizing that the attack was a deliberate attempt on her life and underscoring that no citizen is safe under the current conditions.
“Today, that same person walks freely. Justice has not been served,” Kristina said, highlighting the broader climate of impunity.
Students have maintained sustained activism over the past year, organizing marches and demonstrations across Belgrade and other Serbian cities, including Novi Sad and Novi Pazar. Their demands include full accountability for past incidents, reforms to ensure safety on campus, and the holding of extraordinary parliamentary elections, none of which have been met.
During today’s events, students observed 16 minutes of silence at key locations, including the Avijatičarski Square in Zemun and in front of the Faculty of Law, honoring victims of the collapsed canopy at the Novi Sad railway station. They also retraced the routes of previous protests, passing sites where student activists, including Kristina, had faced attacks.
“We are proud to have shown that young people in Serbia want change and will not accept living in a society where justice is selective. We have experienced both support and setbacks over the past year, but our fight continues,” said Dejan Đukić, a student at the Faculty of Agriculture.
Student organizers emphasized the importance of solidarity and collective action, calling on citizens to join upcoming protests, including a planned demonstration in Novi Sad on Saturday, December 13, which will continue to demand accountability from the state.
“We continue to fight for justice, which remains elusive even after a year. Our goal is to ensure that this country becomes a place where citizens feel safe and respected, and where authorities act according to the law,” said Jakša Kosnić, another student organizer.
The anniversary events reflect both the resilience of the student movement and ongoing public frustration with government inaction, as demands for safety, justice, and democratic reforms remain unfulfilled.
